"Oh the Emotions": Patriots Training | Circus | Cambridge Jazz Fest
Howdy,
Some days, it's hard to shake off the feeling that your kids are here to test you.
Right after my writeup last week about getting kids to own the summer routine, my son lost his lunchbox and swimwear.
Grr... :(
I asked him to talk to his teacher about lunchbox and swimwear. He shrugged it off; so I did. Now I'm regretting not letting him have the chance to really own his responsibilities.
My son is 9 years old, a rising 4th grader. I feel more recently that he's had more hangry episodes and lashing out. He's refused to do his homework before playing videogames. (And it doesn't help when the hubby sees nothing wrong with videogames and watches hours of TV himself. But I'm digressing. :)
I decided it's time for all of us to read the book "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk", my parenting bible. I figured, if I can't act it out sufficiently well, at least we can all read about what we're supposed to do, and work on this together.
(My trick to doing things that I find hard on my own is to get a group together to do it. Hey, Weight Watchers is a very successful business. ;-)
My daughter, always the excited one, dug up the cartoon section for us. "Oh, oh, I can read this."
While my son enjoyed reading what you're "supposed to do".
Image/book credit: https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Kids-Will-Listen/dp/1451663889/
We read the cartoons together. We also did the exercise together on when this happens, what's the feeling? Our kids enjoyed guessing the feelings and what to say. We then talked about what it all means:
"What should we do the next time someone's upset? Do you tell them it's no big deal?" "Noo...."
I found my son continue to read the book after we put it down together. A few peaceful days went by, then one day, food took a long while to cook, and my son was getting more and more hangry.
"You seem a bit upset and angry."
"Yeah I've been waiting an hour!"
Dinner's ready but it's super hot. Exasperated, my son got up from the table and walked away stomping.
My husband would normally order him back with force. But we're trying to show understanding. "It can be frustrating to wait a long time for dinner."
"Yeah, I'm really hungry. and the food is so hot." My son walked back, on the verge of tears. "Let's mix it to cool down."
We had a good dinner together. Well, let's see how the next emotional moment in our house goes. ;-)
This weekend we'll try to hit Shakespeare in Denahy Park on Sunday afternoon. My husband is still debating whether to take the kids to the Patriots training camp (he's never been himself.)
And next weekend we're super-psyched for the Run & Ride at Cambridgeside. Our kids had a lot of fun last year and watched their friend Ethan win 2nd place! Hope to see some of you! Be sure to register as there will be tons of kids.
Weekend Events
Patriots Training Camp
Training Camp practices are free and open to the public. Training Camp entrances will open approximately 1 hour before ...
Thursday, 9:15am - Sun., Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Recommended by MLK mom Sen! Circus Smirkus is coming to Waltham again from 7/27-7/29. We've gone to see this show...
Friday, 1pm - Sun., Gore Place, Waltham
Date Night: 5th Annual Salsa Squared Dance Party
When the sun goes down, things heat up on Brattle Street at this Annual Salsa Squared Dance Party. Due to the overwh...
Friday, 7pm , Harvard Square - Brattle Plaza and Brattle Street, Cambridge 
MIT Summer 2018 Philharmonic Orchestra Concert - Free
The annual classical music concert, which is open to the public and free for all to attend, returns to the MIT Kresge A...
Friday, 8pm, MIT Professional Education 
Downtown Playdates is a collaboration between nine downtown organizations, featuring fun, games and prizes for kids of ...
Saturday, 10am, Faneuil Hall Marketplace G
InterACT with the public art projects, reACT to the dance performances, ACTivate your imagination, and create an artifA...
Saturday, 11am - Sun., Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Boston 
Last weekend: SHAKESPEARE’S HENRY IV in Cambridge
Free and open to the public. See plot here: 1:05 in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2kQugZ2COo Schedule: ...
Saturday, 3pm - Sun., Danehy Park, Cambridge 
Corey Tolbert teaches engaging lessons covering important chess themes and ideas. Appropriate for players of every skil...
Saturday, 3pm, Faneuil Hall Marketplace 
Come enjoy great food and live music from 12pm-6pm at Danehy Park. Visit cambridgejazzfestival.org for more information...
Sunday, 12pm, Danehy Park, Cambridge 
Come share ideas and celebrate with us as we transform the plaza into a fun interactive community space . Boston G...
Friday 8/03, 12pm - 8/05, Boston City Plaza and Faneuil Hall
Kids Run + Ride at CambridgeSide
Kids only duathlon with biking and running in and around CambridgeSide! Run + Ride at CambridgeSide is for kids ages 5-...
Sunday 8/05, 8am, CambridgeSide 
Free Shakespeare on the Common
Richard III: Performances are FREE and open to the public till 8/5/18. Schedule Wednesday, July 18 at 8:00pm Thurs...
Wednesday 7/18, 8pm - 8/05, Boston Common 